| Description | Records documenting the history of the Dartington estate and its owners. Most of the papers are those of twentieth century historians, architects, and archaeologists employed by the Trust to investigate the history of Dartington Hall. In addition there is correspondence with architect William Weir who supervised the restoration of the medieval Great Hall; medieval architecture historian John Harvey; and correspondence with other Devon historians, archivists, and researchers dating from 1929.
Most of this series consists of the research records of historian Anthony Emery who was supported by the Trust over the course of seven years spent researching and writing Dartington's history. This work was finally published by the Clarendon Press in 1970. Emery's records include extensive Latin transcripts and translations referencing Dartington.
Records of archaeological excavations at Dartington include those of Colin Platt, in 1962, who directed a team excavating the south lawn at Dartington Hall in association with Emery. Pottery finds from this excavation were transferred to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum at Exeter. Other artefacts, particularly coins found on the estate are included in this archive. Later archaeological work at Dartington is also recorded here. This includes resistivity and other geophysical surveys to 2005, and records of excavations in the Hall Gardens and at old Church of St Mary, Dartington.
Genealogical information concentrates on the Holand and Champernowne families.
Correspondence with Anthony Emery is perhaps most significant. The series includes Emery's research and notes, as well as published articles on the history of Dartington and related medieval buildings, drafts of Emery's 1965 dissertation, 'Dartington Hall: A Family and Architectural History and Survey'; and 4 manuscript boxes containing typed transcriptions and translations of historical records mentioning Dartington and its families. There is also a box of Victor Bonham-Carter's records of his work at Dartington.
Lastly, the series includes original Champernowne family manorial records including an indenture for Harlow Mills, Essex, 1653; a farm account ledger dating from the 1700s; Dartington estate accounts and receipts, 1744-1845; records of tenant farmer distraints and distresses (forced sales) with inventories of tenants' personal and farm property in Dartington, 1810-1835; five indentures for land at Ilsington, Devon, 1705-1774; and a parchment schedule of apportionment of the rent-charge in lieu of tithes in the Parish of Dartington in the county of Devon. |